Page 30 - Code of Conduct - 2020 - 2021

Individual Vehicle Inspections and Searches
Vehicles in school parking areas are on school property they are subject to the same nature of searches as those applying to a person. Search of a student’s vehicle shall be permitted only when there is a reasonable belief that said student has in his or her vehicle items either in violation of federal, state, or local laws or in violation of school board policy. A search shall be conducted by a designated school official in the presence of another member of the school staff. Any illegal materials discovered as a result of a search may be used as evidence against the student in disciplinary, juvenile, or criminal proceedings. Refer to ​Board Policy 226​ for more information.
General Searches Without Individualized Suspicion
When certain criteria are present, general searches of school premises, students and their belongings, including student lockers or vehicles parked on school property, may be conducted during the school day or upon entry into school buildings or school activities, for the purpose of finding or preventing entry onto school property or activities of controlled substances, weapons or other dangerous materials.​ ​ ​Such searches normally will be conducted in a minimally intrusive manner using screening methods such as dogs or other animals trained to detect controlled substances, explosives or other harmful materials by smell, as well as metal detectors and other technology. School staff may also assist in searching student bags and materials in response to a threat (e.g., a bomb threat). When such screening methods provide a reasonable suspicion that particular students, items or places possess or contain controlled substances, weapons or other dangerous material, screening may be followed by physical searches of those particular students, items or places on an individualized basis.
General searches for weapons may be conducted when there are circumstances, information or events indicating increased likelihood that students may be armed or headed for physical confrontation because of community strife or tensions, or as a continuation or escalation of a prior incident, in or out of school, which threatens to spill over into school, into a school sponsored activity, or into other times and places that students are under school supervision.
General searches for controlled substances may be conducted when two or more credible sources indicate a use, possession or trafficking of controlled substances among students in school. For example, the building principal may receive information from a student and staff member involving controlled substances that does not include a specific name of an alleged person or persons.
General searches not based on individualized suspicion must be approved in advance by the Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent. In a timely manner, the administration will inform the board that a general search was conducted and provide basic information of any prohibited items. Refer to​ ​Board Policy 226​ for more information.
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Exceptionally Prepared for Success
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